Baby Love

Every once in awhile, a little motivation flows through these veins.  Remember these jelly rolls? 

Well, they finally met their destiny.  

Getting me near a sewing machine does require some super duper extra special person or occasion.  My sister provided both.  Were we all really this small at some point?  Girlfriend doesn't even fit newborn clothes but this is okay because nakie babies are the best.  Better access to smelling them of course.

Pattern was modified from Amy Butler's Mid Mod Quilt.

It's All About the Crumbs

I know it's early and the produce has not even begun to come into full abundance, but early every season we get a little sneak peek of the of the goodness to come...

Oh joy.  Produce is happiness.  And on the opposite end of the spectrum, so is a great crumb cake.  I'm a sucker for a big fat, brown sugary and buttery crumb.  Put the two together and you have perfection?  Let's find out.

The secret to getting those big fat Starbucks crumbcake crumbs is to melt the butter first and add the spices and sugar.  Mix thoroughly before adding the flour to make a "dough."

The verdict?  Perfection indeed. 

Rhubarb Crumb Coffeecake
adapted from NY Times

Crumb Topping:
1/3 cup  granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick butter, melted
1 1/2 cups  flour

Rhubarb filling:
1 1/2 cup diced rhubarb
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 tsp cinnamon

Cake:
1 tbsp vanilla
1/3 cup sour cream
1 large egg
1 large egg yolk
1 cup flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
6 tbsp butter, softened and cut intopieces.

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees and grease an 8-inch-square baking pan.
2. Slice rhubarb and set aside
3. For crumb topping: in a large bowl, whisk sugars, spices and salt into melted butter until smooth. Add flour and stir.
3. For the cake stir together the sour cream, egg, egg yolk and vanilla. Using a mixer fitted with paddle attachment, mix together flour, sugar, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add butter and a spoonful of sour cream mixture and mix on medium speed until flour is moistened. Increase speed and beat for 30 seconds. Add remaining sour cream mixture in two batches, beating for 20 seconds after each addition, and scraping down the sides of bowl with a spatula. Scoop out about 1/2 cup batter and set aside.
4.  Spread batter (minus reserved 1/2 cup) in prepared pan.
5. Toss sliced rhubarb with sugar, cornstarch, ginger and cinnamon.  Spread on top of batter.
6. Dallop reserved batter on top of rhubarb-it will not cover completely.
7. Break topping mixture into big crumbs and sprinkle over cake.
8. Bake cake until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean of batter (it might be moist from rhubarb), 45 to 55 minutes. Cool completely before serving.

And rhubarb ins't the only thing timed for a spring arrival--apparently this is the perfect time for babies to pop out as well. With a couple of coworkers and 3 family members all having babies within a one month period, it's been busy.  My very own dear sister is one of those and pretty soon there will be some additional niece pictures to broaden the "family" photo genre beyond Peanut photos.

I did however get to meet my cousin's little one this past weekend. Look how smooshy and handsome he is...

And Finally...

some final parting images of Thailand...whew. I'm not going to lie to you.  I've already started thinking about destinations for next year's vaca.  The world is at our feet yes?

Creatures that are also insects, should never, ever be bigger than your fist.  And when they are almost as big as your foot, by all means run.  Do not stop to photograph them.

Creatures that are edible, should never, ever be this loud.  At 4am or 5 am.  Or even noon.

If you must be a creature at least try to be as cute as can be.

The happiest way to start each and every day is with a latte and this.  Doubt that I love you, but never doubt my love for laundry.  Oh laundry, I heart thee so.  Sadly, I do not jest. 

Bangkok

What can I say about Bangkok except that I am not and have never been a big city kind of traveler.  I wish I was more exciting and hip, but deep down, I like the personality of old quiet villages and locals hanging out at the pub.  Big cities are almost one in the same in my mind.

That being said, you have to spend time in Bangkok when you go to Thailand right?  Last year, I opted to skip it completely so this year we gave it a shot. Perhaps there was a little State Dept warning about visiting Bangkok in the middle of the latest political coup attempt but Thailand has one every year.  The unfortunate backpack incident of 2009 was a direct result of last year's coup attempt and the train stations being shut down. This year it heated up a bit more and we were forced to cancel plans one night and stay close to the hotel.  But even then, you never feel like you are in danger.  It's really hard to explain to those who just see the riots on TV.

In the end, I'm glad we did it.  Bangkok is a fascinating place--a unique mixture of old and new. And of course, having your cousin play dedicated taxi driver and tour guide for your entire stay isn't too shabby either.

Foods of Thailand

If I really posted what I ate on my trip to Thailand this year, it would look an awful lot like last year's food post because the conversation this time often sounded like this...

Mom:  What would you like me to order for you?
Me: Som Tum
Mom: But what else?
Me: Som Tum
Mom: You need protein, what about chicken....
Me: No, just Som Tum
Mom: That's not food.  They have chicken pad thai.  Chicken laab? Chicken fried rice?
Me: Som Tum please, and some fruit and veggies.  No chicken please.
Mom: grrrrrrrrrr. 

What I learned from spending all this time with my parents is that mothers are mothers forever--even if you are 37.  Truly, I never experienced that prior to the trip because here, I can order my own food.  And do you know who won the above conversation?  Of course.  I ended up with chicken of some kind or another on my plate. 

Those who know me well may be saying, "But you eat chicken Mary"  Ha.  Maybe American sterilized, mass-produced, tasteless but toxic chicken that has all bones, skin, fat chunks and reminders of its former animal state removed.   And after watching Food Inc, even that is up for future re-evaluation.  Here's the thing I learned.  Naturally raised, non GMO chicken, tastes like, well a chicken I suppose.  Much healthier I am sure, but not so much a fan. What I am a big fan of though is Italy and tomatoes. 

I met Guiseppe about 5 years ago when I went out to visit him and my aunt and cousin at his house on the Italian Riviera.  Lucky, lucky man.

And now that he's living in Thailand, he brings a little slice of his home with him.  Am I embarassed that I ate a bit of Italian and drank vino every night?  Not really. OK, maybe just a teeny, tiny bit but look...

And check this out...who in their right mind could turn down DQ when presented with these flavor combos?  You have to try right?

It wasn't even close to as good as the real thing.  One of the biggest culinary delights of the trip was by far one of the simplest....

Family

Seriously, how long can I draw out vaca pics?  For the family who's been waiting, my apologies for the delay.  And for the lack of narrative, because at this point, we are just going to let the remaining ones fly.  There are about 350 of the family, but just a few of my favorites....

The familia.

Great uncle

Little cousins

Uncles getting mangoes...

The whole caboo...minus a few caboos here and there

And the parents plus one.  

Si Satchanalai

Despite the fact that they are brown, and really don't pop color in photographs, I love, love, love ruins. Give me the opportunity to visit old and decrepit buildings on vacation over new and modern architecture and hip nightclubs any day.  Assuming a requirement that the sites are snake free, I say the older and mustier the better. That's the medieval history student speaking.

Sukhothai, the Thai capital during the 13th century, is an oft visited site in Northern Thailand, mainly because it has so very many ruins still intact.  Just a bit outside of Sukhothai is of the vassal town of Si Satchanalai with some impressive ruins of its own.  An entire civilization lived, loved and died here.  Children laughed and babies giggled.   Little boys and girls dreamed of their futures.  Men and women fought bravely to protect their homes. Many died violent deaths doing so. Mothers cried when they lost children.    Hearts were broken, lovers were separated and now only the ruins remain. All is vanity.  Seriously--history is just good stuff.

People did not ride their bikes across narrow suspension bridges back then.  They knew better. And stupid tourists with cameras did not stand between bikes and the other side of the bridge.  They knew better as well.

And completely unrelated... Little Oliver says...

Please Sir, I want some more....

I love this kid.